Author: KRDO

Bradley Davis

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – The Pueblo Punishers start its ignagural season in the National Arena League with a preseason game this Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

“We wanted to change the look for people in Colorado towards Pueblo,” team owner Lisa Rohrich said.

The Punishers are part of the National Arena League (NAL), a professional indoor football league. Indoor football teams have a long reputation of being short-lived. Rohrich said she’s moved to Pueblo full-time, and she is all-in on the Punishers.

“I’m building this, so I know there’s been a lot of stigma around arena teams, that they’re not gonna stay here. That’s what’s different,” Rohrich said.

Two coaches on staff are Hall of Famers from the Indoor Football League. On the field, the team has collected talent from all over the country, with former D-1 and NFL ball players on the roster.

The team will host its home games at the Colorado State Fairgrounds inside the Southwest Motors Event Center. Its first preseason game is Saturday against the Northern Colorado Nightmares at 6:30 p.m., followed by its regular season home opener against the Colorado Spartans, an NAL team based out of Denver. Tickets start at $30.

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Michael Logerwell

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – KRDO13 first reported this story in the summer of 2025. Since then, this specific ordinance has faced stiff opposition. It was voted down twice by the previous city council, but tonight that changed.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Bring more big-box businesses to Pueblo? City leadership divided

Even tonight, when the ordinance passed 5-2, many still came out to speak in opposition:

“This is probably the biggest ordinance this year on the agenda. And yes, of course, we have [public] comments and everything. But this is rushed, and this is only the third time… the past council members are not on there.”

“I’m not in favor of it at all.”

“We’re going to really destroy relationships if we go down this road.”

What does this ordinance do?

The background paper produced by city staff writes that this ordinance, “expands the definition of ‘primary job’ and ‘capital improvement project’ and ‘project’ to include projects of economic significancewhich act as economic catalysts.”

For decades, the money collected by the city from the half-cent sales tax could only be used for primary jobs, like manufacturing. That money only had a narrow scope of use; it would lead to cash incentives being offered for businesses to build in Pueblo.

But now that scope has been expanded.

“The city of Pueblo turned over a new era tonight,” said Mayor Heather Graham, who has been a big supporter of this ordinance.

“This gives more tools in the toolbox to change the way the city has been doing economic development. You heard Councilor Hernandez say that the population of the public community has only risen by 8,000 over the last 20 years. That’s not a lot, ” said Mayor Graham. “So what we’ve been doing in the past has clearly not been working for us here in Pueblo.”

Some of those new tools are that the city can now use up to 15% of the total uncommitted budget from those half-cent tax funds to build up infrastructure in the form of a capital improvement project, help a small business start up to prevent people from spending money outside the city(economic leakage), or placemaking.

“Placemaking could be anything from the riverwalk to bringing in healthcare, veterinary services, something that’s going to attract other people to move to our community and spend their tax dollars here,” said Mayor Graham.

Read the full language of the ordinance here.

One of the bigger concerns mentioned was that this could violate TABOR, or the refunding of unspent tax money. It’s something that the city’s legal council disagreed with, saying that the council has made changes to the half-cent sales tax in the past and that power is written in the ballot language.

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Mackenzie Stafford

COLORADO – The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico are warning U.S. citizens in specific locations to shelter in place until further notice.

According to the U.S. Embassy, the warning locations are Jalisco State, including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala and Guadalajara; Tamaulipas State, including Reynosa and other municipalities, areas of Michoacan State, Guerrero State and Nuevo Leon State.

It comes as Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, the powerful and long-pursued head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and one of the world’s most-wanted traffickers, died following a Mexican military operation on Sunday, according to CNN.

Officials say due to ongoing security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity, U.S. citizens in the named locations should shelter in place until further notice.

Senator Michael Bennet also issued a warning to travelers, saying he’s closely monitoring the situation in Jalisco and other parts of Mexico. He says that any Coloradans currently in Mexico or planning to travel to Mexico should sign up for the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program here.

If you are in one of those locations, officials urge you to:

Avoid areas around law enforcement activity

Be aware of your surroundings

Seek shelter and minimize unnecessary movements

Monitor local media for updates

Follow the directions of local authorities and in case of emergency, call 911

Avoid crowds

Keep family and friends advised of your location and well-being via phone, text, and social media

Michael Thomas from Highlands Ranch is in Jalisco State on vacation.

“We were just here for my wife’s 60th birthday, and we’ve been here since last Tuesday,” explained Michael Thomas.

The couple is on the trip with another pair for the birthday celebration. He says they left on Sunday for what started as a normal day. Thomas says they had some trouble getting to the beach with roads blocked off, but were able to find another route. He tells KRDO13 their tour guide friend took them out on the boat for a whale watching tour, and that’s when they started to notice a lack of activity.

“We went out on a boat, and nobody was out. No, people were out. No cars were driving. It was really strange,” recounted Thomas.

Thomas said the tour guide needed gas for his boat, and when they approached a beach club to get some ahead of the trip, they found a large plume of smoke near Mismaloya Beach, about 15 minutes south of Puerto Vallarta.

“He’s like, yeah, somebody blew up the gas station there. This one’s on fire. So he was trying hard to get gasoline for his engine, and he said, we’re going to another beach,” explained Thomas.

The group got hold of some gas and made it out on their journey. Thomas says the group was searching for whales in the water when they realized the action was on the shore.

“By the time we were out in the middle of the water and looking at whales, there were about 8 to 10 fires going that we could see,” Thomas continued, “Smoke was everywhere. It looked like a downtown, like Beirut or, you know, the middle of a battle in Baghdad. It was just really strange.”

He says they decided to go back to shore to get back to the resort when they ran into some roadblocks.

“But we couldn’t take the car to drive back to the hotel because the roads were locked down. So we took the boat, my buddy’s boat, to the Hilton nearby on the beach. We beached there and walked back to the hotel,” explained Thomas.

Thomas tells KRDO13 he’s been at the resort ever since. They are safe, sheltering in place there before they are expected to fly back on Friday. However, he says the flight is in limbo as they aren’t sure if the airport will be back open by Friday. Thomas says his friends who came on the trip had their flights cancelled and had to tentatively reschedule for Friday.

According to the Security Alert – Update 4 from the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico, flights continue to be disrupted due to the availability of flight crews in Puerto Vallarta. The Embassy says it is in close contact with airlines to monitor their plans. 

The U.S. Embassy says all other airports in Mexico are open, and most airports are operating normally. If you are traveling via any airport other than Guadalajara or Puerto Vallarta, we have received no indication of any security-related flight disruptions, writes the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico. They recommend checking with your airline to confirm your flight status and schedule. The Embassy added that some, but not all, scheduled flights are departing from Guadalajara; if your flight to the United States is cancelled, you may be able to book a connecting flight through another Mexican city.

KRDO13 also spoke with a local travel agent who said that if you have a trip planned to Puerto Vallarta in the next week or so, they would recommend getting a travel agent to look at options to reschedule. They say holding off would be a good idea, as you will likely have to reschedule any planned excursions and be unable to get rides outside of a resort. She says this is another reminder of how important travel insurance is for cases like this.

The local travel agent also tells KRDO13 that their fellow travel agent in Cabo says the situation is fine there.

The U.S. Embassy also shared that while incidents were reported on Sunday, they say the situation has returned to normal in the following areas: Quintana Roo State (including Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum), Sinaloa, and Tamaulipas. 

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Josh Helmuth

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) — It’s not every day your child’s teacher gets a shoutout from the state’s department of education. But that’s what’s happening in Pueblo.

Janelle Augerot teaches at Fountain International Magnet School. The Colorado Department of Education highlighted her on social media recently for her work. And it’s a well-deserved recognition.

Augerot has been teaching for 14 years. She says the best part of her job is truly celebrating her students’ milestones, not hers. She says, “These are moments that will make you cry. We’re by their side through the struggles and triumphs.” She says she is “forever their cheerleader!”

Lisa Horton is her principal. She echoed that sentiment, saying that Janelle is dedicated, hardworking, and “pours her heart into every student.” 

“She takes the time to understand each child’s unique strengths and challenges, adapting her teaching to help them grow with confidence,” said Horton.

“Through her compassion and determination, she creates a safe, encouraging space where every student feels valued and capable,” she said.

She loves her students, no question.

Is there someone remarkable at your school? Hit Josh up! SchooBuzz@KRDO.com.

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Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — It’s something that drivers have waited more than two years for, and now it’s only a few days from happening.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) says that it will open the new overpass on Airport Boulevard across Powers Boulevard on Wednesday.

It’s a development that local leaders have anticipated for nearly a decade.

A new traffic pattern begins on Wednesday at the four-way stop intersection of Airport and Troy Hill Road, on the west side of the new interchange.

Eastbound Airport traffic at Troy Hill Road will move slightly north and line up with the ramp leading to the new overpass; the structure also provides a more direct route to the main gate of Peterson Space Force Base.

However, only two of the ramps at the interchange — to northbound Powers and from southbound Powers — have been built, and some departing Peterson traffic is already using the northbound ramp.

Until the remaining ramps are built, drivers will have to cross the overpass and use the old segment of Airport east of Powers to reach southbound Powers from eastbound Airport, and northbound Powers from westbound Airport.

That old segment of Airport also provides access to several industrial businesses and to a branch of the El Paso County Department of Motor Vehicles.

CDOT said that the left turn lane onto that segment, from southbound Powers, will remain open for the near future.

Another major change is that the old segment of Airport west of Powers will close permanently, and turns will no longer be allowed there.

The new interchange has already attracted new businesses, such as a convenience store and a restaurant, with more likely to come.

CDOT expects to finish the $46 million project by the end of the year.

On Monday afternoon, CDOT will conduct a media tour of the diverging diamond traffic configuration on the new overpass — similar to designs in place at the recently-built overpass on Research Parkway, under Powers, and on the Fillmore Street overpass at Interstate 25.

CDOT is currently planning the next Powers overpass, at Stetson Hills Boulevard, and is considering a similar structure near the main entrance to the Colorado Springs Airport, at the Milton E. Proby Parkway intersection.

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Marina Garcia

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – A family’s backyard located on South Murray Boulevard and Airport Road, a major traffic corridor, is in ruins after a car smashed through their gate.

KRDO13 spoke to the homeowner, Meleena Pope, who expressed serious concern for her four-year-old and two dogs’ safety.

Pope recalls unwinding for the night when she received a call from her neighbor.

“She said, I don’t want to alarm you. There is a vehicle that drove through your fence and is now in your backyard, and I was confused. And I was like, what?” Says Pope.

That confusion quickly turned to panic as her neighbor’s words registered; Pope remembered that her dogs were playing outside.

“I was hollering for my dogs, trying to put my shoes on,” says Pope. Luckily, her husband had let the dogs in just moments before the crash. “So I closed the back door, and I turned around, and both of my dogs are standing there, and they’re like, staring at me. I almost had an emotional breakdown.”

While the dogs are safe this time, her concern isn’t going anywhere; in fact, it’s only growing.

“With us welcoming a new baby into our family and then also having a young four-year-old, it fills me with even more anxiety. As a parent, my number one job is to protect my kids,” says Pope.

There is a guardrail along Airport Road, but part of it has been damaged, and it doesn’t continue around the other side of Pope’s home. The concerned mother says she’s been in contact with the city, hoping to get that changed.

We reached out Colorado Springs Police Department about the crash to confirm if anyone was hurt and to learn the status of the driver, but as of 10:00 p.m. on Sunday night have not heard back.

This article may be updated.

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Rob Namnoum

The Colorado College hockey team played their final home of the season on Saturday night at Robson Arena against Western Michigan. The Tigers would lose 2-0 to the Broncos.

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Rob Namnoum

The Air Force men’s basketball team hosted UNLV on Saturday. The Falcon would fall 91-66. They are winless in Mountain West Conference play.

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Rob Namnoum

The Pueblo Central Wildcats are state champions! The Wildcats claim the girls Class 4A crown behind the dominance of Acelyn Duran. She was outstanding in her win against La Junta’s Yliani Garcia. It’s Duran second straight championship, “It’s just really exhilarating. It’s really exciting and just shows all the work I’ve been putting in all year and throughout my life. The hardest part is just having to go out there, train and not let the excitement and all the pressure against me just go out there to me,” says Duran.

Gionna Duran helped secure the team title for Central by taking home the 115 pound title with a in by major decision against La Junta’s Isabella Ortiz.

Air Academy’s David Burchett was down a point to Pueblo East’s Justus Freeman, Burchette escaped to tie the match and force sudden victory. As Burchette claims his first state championship and you can see how much it means to him, “I feel complete. I’ve been through hell and back. My whole thing is that I take people deep waters and I drown them. I knew I needed to get out or otherwise it was over. Everything I worked for was for nothing, and I couldn’t let that go to waste,” says Burchett.

It was quite a day for Canon City. Kate Doughty ended her high school career undefeated for the past two seasons. She and Pipe Montoya claimed state crowns, with Doughty grinding her opponent into dust on her way to the 135 pound title, “My gosh, I’m just so excited. I mean, I came out with a cup with a couple of injuries and I wanted to finish out this year strong and get another title. And I’m just so excited that I was able to do that,” says Doughty.

Elias Koonce set the tone for Canon City in the first match of the day. He takes home the Class 4A 190 pound title by winning a tough match against Pueblo East’s Elijah Contreras.

Not only does Canon City have hands down the best dressed coaches. They’ve got four state champs. Ben Reish won his heavy weight bout by flattening his opponent like a pancake, “It’s amazing. You know, I worked all my life for this stuff. I mean, it’s kind of hours in the gym and stuff like that, you know? And plus, a lot of this is one of the best fits of my life. So I’m so blessed to have this,” says Reish.

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Rachael Plath

High pressure will allow temperatures to really heat up over the next couple of days, but an approaching midweek wave is expected to kick up winds and fire danger while spreading snow across the high country.

TONIGHT: Clear skies and light overnight winds will allow temperatures to plummet once again, with overnight lows falling into the teens by early Sunday morning.

SUNDAY: High pressure will influence our weather conditions to round out the weekend, allowing for afternoon highs to warm into the 40s and 50s… which is pretty close to where we should be this time of year. Mostly clear skies and relatively light winds should make for a pleasant day for most.

NEXT WEEK: The warming pattern continues next week, with highs on Tuesday expected to get into the 70s for many! If we hit 71° in Colorado Springs on Tuesday, that will tie the record high set back in 1986. We are currently forecasting a high of 70° – so it will be close! Unfortunately, as an upper-level wave approaches the state on Tuesday, winds will also be increasing. The combination of dry conditions, gusty winds and above average temperatures will significantly raise fire danger concerns on both Tuesday and Wednesday. While lower elevations will be concerned about fire danger, the high country will begin to see snow spreading across the highest peaks beginning late on Tuesday, with snow chances continuing on Wednesday. This is great news for Colorado’s snowpack, as some of our mountain communities could end up with 6-12″ of snow from this system. As for areas along and east of I25, models are hinting at a small window of opportunity for a quick shower Wednesday night! However, IF these showers manage to hold together as they slide off the Front Range, they won’t produce much in the way of moisture – but it is something we’ll be tracking closely this week! Beyond Wednesday, Thursday will see slightly cooler (but still above average) temperatures with dry and warm weather expected into the following weekend.

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